Rail anchor



A. H. TOLD RAIL ANCHOR v April 8, 1930.

Filed Dec. 31, 1928 Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE AmvoLn n. mom), or OHiCAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR Io CHICAGO RAILWAY incurs MEN' COMPANY, or o IIcAGo, ILLINOIS, ooaronnrron or ILLIivoIs BAIL ANCHOR A iplication filed December a1, 1928. Serial No. 329,545.

This invention relates to rail anchors and more particularly to spring clamp anchors which are adapted to be strained orsprung on installation on the rail base to establish a resilient friction grip of the anchorupon the rail. Anchors of this type are usually forged from resilient steel bars, either round or square, and of substantially uniform crosssectional area. Such anchors do not readily afiord tie-abutting faces of sufiicient area to avoid cutting or wearing away the tie asthe anchor is forced and rubbed up. and down against it during the passage of rolling stock over the track rails. I

The present invention seeks to avoid this objection by providing theanchor with a foot-piece mounted thereon and having a tieabutting face of extended area, and which is preferably so located that it is spaced a substantial distance below the bottom of the rail and holds the parts in engagement with the rail base so that they cannot contact with the tie or with the tie-plate thereon. The invention consists in the features of improvement hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the preferred forms in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 7 I

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of spring clamp rail anchor with the present improvement applied thereto, the rail and tie being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the anchor shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away and parts shown in section. 7

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of anchor.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View thereof with the anchor shown inposition on the rail.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another modification, and I Fig. 6 is a sectional view thereof.

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views illustrating further modifications of the footpiece.-

The rail anchor shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is similar to that set forth in the Patent of Louis Kadar, 1,7 05,295, Mar. 12, 1929. It is formed or forged from around resilient steel bar and comprises a cross member 10 having a depending closed spring loop portion lland integral flange-engaging portions, one of which is in the form of a jaw 12, and the other in the form of an upwardly projecting lug or shoulder 13. The construction is such that the anchor is strained as it is sprung into position on the rail base and so maintains a resili-' ent friction grip upon the rail due to its tendency' to return to the shape from which it is sprung or strained.

The spring loop portion 11 of the anchor is. preferably offset forwardly, so that its lower forward portion .14 is spaced to a substantial extent below the bottom of the rail base 15 and in front of the other parts of the anchor. A foot-piece is applied to the forwardly ofi-set part of the loop portion of the cross member and, in the form shown in Figs.

1 and 2, comprises a substantially rectangular plate 16 of heavy sheet metal provided at its upper edge with a relatively narrow, integral extension 17 which is bent around and snugly engages the portion 14 of the anchor. Preferably, as shown, the forward face of the part 14 is slightly flattened so that the foot 16 is securely held in position and the latter is provided, at its lower edge, with a rearwardly bent lug 18 which overlaps the end of the extension 17.; r v v The foot-piece 16 provides a substantially flat tie-abutting face of extended area which prevents the wearing or cutting of the tie as the anchor is forced and rubbed upv and down against it.. Also, to avoid any wear or cutting of the tie, the ends of the plate 16 are dein Fig.1, and the upper and lower edges of flected rearwardly to a slight extent, as shown is also noted that the foot-piece is so disposed that it engages the central portion of the side of the tie and is spaced a substantial distance below its upper face, so that it cannot contact with the tie plate 19. The other portions of the anchor are also held well away from the upper portion of the tie plate so that the danger of loosening the spikes which hold the plate in position, is avoided. These features are of considerable importance, particularly when the: ties have been waterproofed with creosote or the like, since wear and cutting of the-tie and loosening of the spikes permit the penetration of water through the impregnated outer portion of the tie.

The construction and manner of mounting the foot-piece can be Widely varied. In the form shown in Fig. 7, it is formed of a piece of relatively thick sheet metal 16 which is bent into substantially rectangular form about a part 14 'of the anchorwhich is substantially elliptical in section. This arrangement permits of a limited rockin or rotary movement of the foot-piece on the orizontal portion 14 of the anchor, which will permit the auto- 1 maticadjustment of the foot piece to the face of the tie and the square bearing of its tieabutting face against the tie, even though the portion of the tie surface engaged by the foot- .piece is somewhat inclined.

In the form shown in Fig. 8, the foot-piece consists of a malleable casting having a body portion 20 provided with a tie-abutting plate portion 21 and a seat for fitting a part 14 of theanchor, andalso with fingers or lugs 22 which can be bent around the part 14 to secure the foot-piece in position. V

In the form shown in Figs. 8 and 4, the anchor is made of a resilient steel bar of square section. It comprises a cross member 23 having adepending and forwardly offset l'oop portion 24, a flange-engaging jaw 25 at one end and a flange-engaging lip or shoulder 26- at its other. The foot-piece 27 comprises a piece of heavy sheet metal bent around the lower forwardly offset portion of the cross member of the anchor.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a form of spring clamp anchor made of a round resilient bar and comprising a cross member 28 having a flangeengaging lip 29 at one end and a jaw 30 at its other, end, and provided with a spring loop portion 31. This loop portion loosely surrounds the body 32 of a spool-shaped casting which is provided at its ends with integral tie-abutting plates 38. In this form the footpiece is movable relatively to the anchor in different directions and will readily adjust itself and bear squarely against the face of the tie.

Obviously, other modifications and changes may be made in the details set forth without departure from the scope of the appended claims;

I clarm as my inventlonz 1. A spring -clamp rail anchor comprising a cross-bar having integral flange-engaging portions, and a separate foot-piece mounted on the cross-bar having a flat tie-abutting face of extended area, the anchor being adapted to be sprung into position on the rail base with said tie-abutting face spaced substantially below the bottom of the rail base and in front of the cross-bar and the flange-engaging portions.

2. A spring-clamp rail anchor formed of a resilient metal bar of substantially uniform cross-sectional area, and a separate foot-piece mounted thereon and arranged to abut against the side of the tie to hol'd'the other portions of the anchor spaced therefrom.

3. A spring-clamp rail anchor formed of a round resilient metal bar and a foot-piece mounted thereon having a flat tie-abutting face of extended area.

4-. A rail anchor provided with a foot-piece having a. tie-abutting face of substantial area, said foot-piece being relatively movable to permit the automatic adjustment of its tieabutting face to the surface of the tie.

5. A rail anchor comprising a cross-member having integral flange-engaging portions,and a foot-piece having a substantially flat, tie-abutting face rotatably mounted on said cross-member to permit. the automatic adjustment of its face to the surface of the tie. V r

6. A rail anchor comprising a cross-member having integral flange-engaging portions, and a foot-piece having a substantially flat, tie-abutting face mounted on said crossmember and having a limited rotary movement thereon to permit the square bearing of its face upon the side of the tie.

7. Aspring-clamp rail anchor formed of a resilient metal bar and comprising a crossmember having integral flange-engaging portions, and a separate foot-piece mounted on said cross-member and having a substantially flat, tie-abutting face of extended area.

8. A spring-clamp rail anchor formed of a. resilient metal bar and comprising a crossmember having integral flange-engaging portions, and a foot-piece having a tie-abutting-face of extended area and portions bent about said cross-member.

9. A rail anchor adapted to be strained on installation and comprising a cross-member having integral-l flange-engaging portions and a depending spring loop and a foot-piece mounted on said loop and having a tie-abutting face of' extended area in front of said loop and offset forwardly of said cross bar and the flange-engaging portions thereof.

' 10. A rail anchor adapted to be strained on installation and comprising a cross-member having integralflange-engaging portions and a depending, forwardly ofiset, spring loop, and a foot-piece mounted on the lower substantial distance in front of said flangeengaging portions With its upper edge dlsposed a substantial distance below said flangeengaging portions, whereby all parts of the anchor are maintained out of engagement With the upper portions of the tie.

ARNOLD H. TOLD. 

